Hatch cover assembly



June 23, *1959 B. s. APPLETON ETAL 2,891,500

HATCH COVER ASSEMBLY 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 26, 1957 INVENTORS. BER/VA R0 5. PPL Em/v.

[fuer-BARTH. BY

A rroR/VEKS,

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A INVENTORS. BER/VA RD 5A PPLETON.

KURT 5A PTH.

ATTORNEYS.

June 23, 1959 B. s. APPLETON ETAL l-ATCH COVER ASSEMBLY Filed April 26, 1957 wsa-Maw June r23, 1959 B. s. APPLETON ETAL 2,891,500

HATCH COVER ASSEMBLY 2,891,500 HATCH covnn ASSEMBLY Bernard S. Appleton, Woodmere, and Kurt Barth, Seaford, NX., 'assignors, by inesne assignments, to G.M.E. Corporation, a corporation of New York Application April-26, 1957, Serial No. 655,258 3 Claims. .'(Cl. 1114-202) This invention relates to the art of hatch covers and more Ypartinilanly to hatch covers movable in substantially a horizontal plane with respect to a hatchway.

Where marine hatch covers comprise a plurality of extremely heavy rectangular panels which, when in closed position, lie in a horizontal plane over the hatchway, and the cable from a derrickor hoist must lbe connected successively to each of the individual panels to lift them away from the hathway and to stack them into position clear of the hatchway so that it is open to receive cargo, the many manual operations required are burdensome and time-consuming, require many personnel and delay the loadin-g unloading of a ship.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide a hatch cover assembly that is relatively simple in construction, having but `few parts that are not 'likely to become out'of order, that provides 'watertight security when Ithe hatch covers arein `closed position, which permits movement of lthe {hatchcover panels in substantially a horizontal plane from closed to open position with respect tothe hatchway so that the `latter is completely clear for removal vand ,loading of ,cargo and without likelihood of injury toany portion of the resilient gasket effecting such watertight security and which may readily be automatically operated by even unskilled personnel to open and close the hatchway, without the need for time-consuming connection of cables to individual panels for remotval thereof from the lhatchvvay and without the need for manual stacking of the panels away from the hatchway.

According lto the vinvention from its broader aspect, the hatchway of a ship is closed by means of a cover assembly comprising al pair of substantially rectangular panels lyingin side byl side relation across the hatchway in substantially a horizontal `plane when in closed position. The hatchway has a peripheral upstanding coaming with a sealing rail at the upper edge thereof which is engaged bya peripheral gasket on each of the panels to ,eiecta watertight seal. I he panels are provided with suitable rollers on each side thereof adapted to ride on associated tracks. The rollers are mounted vin such manner that the panels may be raised vertically prior vto movement thereof to'lhreak the seal effected between the gasket and sealing rail so that the panels may thereupon vbe moved in a horizontal plane without likelihood of .injury to the gaskets by reason of rubbing thereagainst.

In tho Pfofsrrod embodiment, ons of tho panels is positively driven from closed to oison position and through suitable linkage connecting said driven panel with the other panel, the latter will be moved simultaneously with the movement `of the driven panel Ibut in opposite direction.

Moro particularly, .tho pshsls are sonhootod -lvy suitable cables in suchnianner that upon movement of the driven panel, tension will be. applied through the cables to the other panel to move it in the opposite direction.

In the accompanying drawings inwhich are shown Patented June 23, 1959 ICC 2 one or more of .various possible embodiments of vthe several features of the invention,

Fig. l is a top plan view of 'the hatch cover assembly with parts hroken'away,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view showing the coaming and a panel,

Fig. 3 is a sectional "view on a greatly enlarged scale taken along yline 3-.3 of Fig. 1 showing a portion of the outer edge of one of the panels,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig- 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan viow ,taken along line 5-5 .of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the-hatch vcover assembly in closed position,

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 'showing the hatch oovor assembly in opoh position, "and Fig- 8 'is .a details-'d ,sectional viow showing tho sealing means at the inner edges of the panels.

Referring now to tho drawings. in tho illustrative oma tbodiment shown, the .deck 2 0 of ,the ship has a yconventional hatchway 2l having a substantially rectangular .ooamihg 22 rising 'from tho-,sitios and ends thereof rospectively which serlve vto support a hatch cover assembly in tho manner llorsinaftor to ho described.

The side Walls 2 3 and end walls 24 of the .coaming havo laterally .sXtondih-g Plates 2,5, 26., sash of w-hioh mounts a Sealing .rail 2.7. v)Positioned at one end of the hatshway 'at tho Contrr thereof ,is a housing 2S which oXtohds outwsrdlyfrom ons of the fonds 2405i the coasting and risos from tho dgpols vof the ship, tho top wall 29 .of the housing mounting sealing rails 27.

Tho hatoh -sovorfgssombly ,illhstrativoly comprises a pair of substantially rectangular panels A and B, each having a depending Peripheral skirt 31J said Panels boing of sulloiont length .so .that thoy may extend transversely across the hatchway with the lower edges 32 ofthe skirt at the end edges 3 3 and outer side edges 34 of each panel resting on the sealing rails. The outer edge 34 of Apanel B yhas an outwardly projecting portion 3.6 at tho confor thoroof adapted to lho vertically .aligned with the top wall Z9 of :housing 2S and the lower edge 37 of .tho depending skirt 38 of said portion 36 is also adapted to rest on the rails .27 as shown `in ligs. 43.) .and .5.

ln order to prevent leakage of water into the hatchway. a sogling .strip or gaskot 4l protorably of resilient .material .susih as rubber, is atxod. hy moans .of a bracket 42 as illustratively shown in Fig. 2 to the periphery of each of the panels A Aand 1,3. at the lower edge of the skirts 31, 38 thoroofgnd positioned inwardly thereof, the gasket seating on lthe associated sealing rail 27, 2 7' at the sides and ends of the 'hatchway 21 to effect a seal.

In addition, the portions o f-the gasket on each of the covers A and E extending parallel to the inner edges .4 5, 46 Vthereof are designed to engage as shown in Fig. 8 when the covers are in closed position to prevent leakage of water therebetween. i

By reason of ,the fact that tho edges 32, 37 of the skirts 3 1, 3 8 of the panels A and B rest on the sealing rails 27, 27 and the gasket 41 is positioned inwardly yof said `skirts the force of the waves dashing thereagainst will be broken Vso that little pressure will be exerted against the gasket 41 to prevent injury thereto by reason of the impact of the waves.

VAs shown in Figs. 1, 6 and 7, the outer side edges 34 of each o f the panels A and B adjacent each .of zthe ends 33 thereof mounts an arm 51 whioh extends outwardly and downwardly therefrom. Pivotally mounted between its ends to the ends ofeaeh of the 51 is a link 5 2 which carries a flanged roller 53 at one lend, said rollers riding 2on tracks `54 thohntod oh tho dook Z0 and extending outwardly from'the ends of the coaming.

Mounted Von vveach end of the panels A and B adjacent the inner edges 45 and 46 thereof is a link 55 pivotally mounted between its ends -and carrying a flanged roller 56 at one end, resting on the outer portion of the rail 27 `along the sides of the coaming which defines a track for said rollers, said rails 27 extending beyond each end of the coaming as shown ,at 27 in Figs. 1, 6 and 7.

Desirably, the outer end of each of the tracks 27 and n to the free end of each of the links to rotate the latter.

Means are provided to effect rolling movement of the panels A and B along the tracks 27, 54, away from each other from the closed position shown in Fig. 6

to the open position shown in Fig. 7.

To this end, a pair of spaced parallel racks 61, 62 4are afxed to suitable parallel beams 63 mounted on the undersurface of the panel B and extending from the outer edge of the outwardly projecting portion 36 toward the inner edge 46 thereof. One of the racks, i.e., the rack 61, is engaged by a pinion 64 axed to a vertical shaft 65 extending through the top Wall of housing 28 and driven through a reduction gear 66 by a motor M mounted on the deck of the ship in said housing. The pinion 64 engages a second pinion 67 which meshes with the other rack 62, said second pinion being an idler pin- `ion rotatably mounted on a vertical stud shaft 68 rising from the top wall 29 of the housing 28.

Thus, when the motor M is energized in one direction,

' rotation of the pinion 64 in a clockwise direction from f previously described, it is preferred to utilize the construction hereinafter described.

Thus, a pair of upright transversely aligned standards 71, 72 is mounted on the deck of the ship adjacent each of the outer edges 34 of the panels A and B, each of the standards mounting a pair of independently rotatable pulleys 73 and 74. As shown in Fig. 6, a cable B aixed at one end as at 75 to the end 33 of panel B adjacent the inner edge 46 thereof, extends the width of panel B and passes around the pulley 73 of standard 72 then extends the length of the coaming riding under the pulleyv 73 of standard 71 and is affixed at its free end to the arm 51 of panel A. Similarly, a cable A is axed at one end as at 77 to the end 33 of panel A adjacent the inner edge 45 thereof, extends the width of panel A and passes around the pulley 74 of standard '71,

p then extends the length of the coaming riding under the pulley 74 of standard 72 and is axed at its free end to the arm 51 of the panel B.

Suitable means are provided to retain the panels in closed position. Such means may comprise la quick acting latch 80 having a hook `81 axed to the panels and a pivoted member with a connecting ring 82 adapted to l releasably engage the hook and affixed with respect to the coaming. As said latch may be of the type shown in patent application Serial No. 587,359, led May 25, l 1956, it will not be further described.

In the operation of the unit with the panels A and B 'I in the closed position shown in Fig. 6, to open the panels, the'latches 80 are first released by moving the connecting rings 82 away from the hooks 81. The actuators 59 on each of the panels A and B are energized to pivot the links 52, 55 in direction to move the rollers 53, 56 on each of the panels A and B toward each other. Con sequently, the panels A and B will be lifted to move the gasket 41 away from the sealing rails 27, 27 to break the seal.

Thereupon, the motor M is energized to cause the pinions 64 and 67 to rotate in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction respectively, driving the racks 61 and 62 and cover B to which they are axed outwardly away from the hatchway, the rollers 56 and 53 riding on the tracks 27 and 54. As a result of such movement of the cover B, as one end of the cable A is aflixed to the arm 51 of panel B this will cause the end 77 thereof affixed to the inner edge of panel A to exert tension on such panel causing the latter to move outwardly in the opposite direction to the movement of panel B, the rollers 56, 53 of said panel riding on the associated tracks 27 and 54.

To move the covers to closed position from the open position shown in Fig. 7, it is merely necessary to energize the motor M in opposite direction to cause the pinions 64 and 67 to rotate in manner to drive tue racks 6l and 62 and the cover B inwardly. As a result of such movement of cover B, as one end of the cable B is a'ixed to the inner edge 46 of panel B, tension will be applied to the cable B which is aixed at its other end to the arm 51 of panel A and this will exert tension on panel A causing the latter to move inwardly to closed position.

With the equipment above described, a hatchway may be opened and closed by a single operator in a relatively short period of time thereby expediting the loading and unloading of a ship with resultant savings in labor and docking costs.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patents of the United States is:

l. A cover assembly for a hatchway comprising a pair of panels adapted to extend over such hatchway, said panels lying in side by side relationin substantially a horizontal plane with their inner edges in juxtaposition when in closed position, a gasket mounted on the periphery of each of said panels, sealing means on each side and at the ends of the hatchway adapted to be engaged by said gaskets to provide a uid tight seal, a pair of rollers positioned respectively on each panel at the ends thereof adjacent their inner and outer edges, track means on which said rollers ride, means mounting said rollers to effect substantially vertical movement of said panels to move the gaskets thereon away from the sealing means, a pair of rollers mounted on each side of the hatchway' adjacent each of the ends thereof, a pair of cables, each affixed at one end respectively to oney of the panels adjacent its inner edge, said cables when said panels are in closed position extending toward the outer edge of tbe associated panel, riding around one of the rollers of each of said pair of rollers at each end of the hatchway and then extending toward the other end of the hatchway, the free ends of said cables riding under the other roller at said other end of the hatchway and being secured to the other panel adjacent its outer edge, and drive means comprising a Irack extending from the outer edge of one of said panels toward the inner edge thereof substantially midway between its ends, a motor mounted beyond the end of said hatchway, a pinion driven by said motor and operatively engaging saidvrack to effect movement of the associated panel.

2. A cover assembly for a hatchway comprising a pair of panels adapted to extend over such hatchway, said panels lying in side by side relation in substantially a horizontal plane with their inner edges in juxtaposition when in closed position, a gasket mounted on the periphery of each of said panels, sealing means on each side and at the ends of the hatchway adapted to be engaged by said gaskets to provide a fluid tight seal, a pair of rollers positioned respectively on each panel at the ends thereof adjacent their inner and outer edges, track means on which said rollers ride, means mounting said rollers to eiect substantially vertical movement of said panels to move the gaskets thereon away from the sealing means, a pair of rollers mounted on each side of the hatchway adjacent each of the ends thereof, a pair of cables, each aixed at one end respectively to one of the panels adjacent its inner edge, said cables when said panels are in closed position extending toward the outer edge of the associated panel, riding around one of the rollers of each of said pair of rollers at each end of the hatchway and then extending toward the other end of the hatchway, the free ends of said cables riding under the other roller at said other end of the hatchway and being secured to the other panel adjacent its outer edge, and drive means comprising a pair of spaced parallel racks afxed to one of said panels, said racks extending from the outer edge thereof toward the inner edge thereof, a motor mounted beyond the end of said hatchway, a pinion driven by said motor operatively engages one of said racks and a second pinion engaging the other of said racks is driven by said iirst pinion.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 in which a housing is positioned outwardly of the end of said hatchway, said housing having a top wall, said motor being positioned in said housing, a shaft extending through said top wall and mounting said first pinion, said motor being operatively connected to said pinion.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,294,169 Roberts Feb. 11, 1919 1,342,612 Wood June 8, 1920 1,824,910 MacGregor Sept. 29, 1931 2,194,012 Dawson et al. Mar. 19, 1940 2,804,039 Gray et al. Aug. 27, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 364,809 Great Britain Jan. 14, 1932 

